Bald-faced hornets
- Black with white face markings
- Enclosed gray paper nest, one entrance
- In trees, shrubs and under eaves
The most aggressive of the three around the nest. Never try to bag, knock down or spray one of these from a ladder.
Silver Bullet Pest ControlHornets & Wasps · Chatham · Morris County
Bald-Faced Hornet & Wasp Removal in Chatham, NJ
A gray paper nest the size of a football in the maple out front, black-and-white wasps chasing you off the lawn, or a nest under the eave of the garage? Silver Bullet Pest Control serves Chatham with bald-faced hornet, wasp and yellow jacket nest removal for homes and businesses.
4.9 stars on Google • NJ License 90568B • 15+ years • Free quotes • Hablamos español
Text a photo of the nest — from a safe distance — to 973-510-2585. We'll tell you what it is.
- ✓ Same-day appointments often available
- ✓ Licensed & insured in NJ
- ✓ Homes & businesses
- ✓ English & Español
Who removes bald-faced hornet nests in Chatham, NJ?
Silver Bullet Pest Control removes bald-faced hornet nests in Chatham, along with paper wasp and yellow jacket nests. A licensed technician in protective gear treats the nest, takes it down once the hornets are dead, and checks the property for other nests. Chatham visits are scheduled ahead, and same-day is sometimes possible. NJ License 90568B, 4.9 stars on Google, free quotes. Call or text 973-510-2585.
What is a bald-faced hornet?
Despite the name, the bald-faced hornet isn't a true hornet. It's a large relative of the yellow jacket — black, with white or ivory markings on the face and the tip of the body. It's one of the most defensive stinging insects in New Jersey.
What makes them a problem:
- The nest. A gray paper ball, shaped like a football or a teardrop, with a single entrance hole near the bottom. By late summer it can be as big as a basketball.
- Where they build. Usually above the ground — tree branches, tall shrubs and hedges, under eaves and porch roofs, on the side of a shed or a play set.
- How they defend it. Hornets post guards at the entrance. Vibration from a mower, a hedge trimmer or a ladder against the tree can bring out a lot of them at once, and they can sting more than once. They can also squirt venom toward a threat's face.
- They're good at hiding. A nest high in a leafy tree often goes unnoticed all summer, then appears when the leaves drop in fall.
On the plus side, bald-faced hornets eat a lot of flies and other insects. A nest far out in the woods, away from where anyone walks, can often be left alone. A nest by a front walk, a driveway or a play area is a different story.
Hornet, paper wasp or yellow jacket?
We remove all three in Chatham. Here's how to tell them apart:
Paper wasps
- Slim body, long legs hanging in flight
- Open, umbrella-shaped comb
- Under eaves, railings, shutters and grill lids
Paper wasps are calmer, but nests by doors, decks and porches lead to stings. They often rebuild in the same sheltered spots each year.
Yellow jackets
- Short, shiny, bright yellow and black
- Nest in the ground, a wall or a stone wall
- Steady traffic in and out of one hole
Yellow jackets cause the most stings, because the nest is hidden until someone steps on it or mows over it. Never plug the hole of a wall nest.
Where's the nest? How much of a risk it is
Location decides how urgent the job is and how we reach it:
| Nest location | Risk | How we handle it |
|---|---|---|
| High in a tree, away from paths | Low to moderate — may be left alone | We'll tell you honestly if it's safe to wait for winter |
| High in a tree over a driveway, walk or patio | High — people pass under it daily | Treat from a safe distance with extended equipment, then remove |
| In a shrub or hedge at waist height | Very high — easy to bump or trim into | Treat carefully and remove; hold off on trimming until it's done |
| Under an eave, porch roof or gutter | High if near a door or window | Treat and take the nest down once inactive |
| On a shed, play set or fence | High for kids and pets | Treat, remove, and check the rest of the yard |
| In the ground or inside a wall | Yellow jackets, not hornets — very high | Treat the nest through the entrance; seal only after it's dead |
Text us a photo plus a wider shot showing where the nest sits relative to the house. It saves time on the visit.
A hornet nest's year
🌱
Spring
A single queen that survived the winter starts a small nest, about the size of a golf ball. Rarely noticed, but easy to deal with.
☀️
Summer
Workers hatch and the nest grows quickly, adding layers of gray paper. Activity around the entrance picks up.
🍂
Late summer & fall
The nest is at its biggest and the colony is most defensive. Leaves fall and nests suddenly appear in trees.
❄️
Winter
The workers and old queen die. New queens leave to overwinter elsewhere. The empty nest isn't reused.
An empty nest in December can be left to fall apart. If you see activity on a warm day, assume it's still live and call.
What not to do with a hornet nest
Most stings we hear about happen when someone tries to deal with a nest themselves. Please don't:
- Knock it down with a stick, a ball or a hose. A broken nest releases an angry colony all at once.
- Spray it from a ladder. Being stung on a ladder is how people fall. Store sprays often don't reach inside the layered paper nest anyway.
- Trim the hedge or mow under the tree. Vibration sets off the guards. Mark the spot and hold off until it's treated.
- Try to bag it or cut the branch. This works in videos and goes badly in real life.
- Burn it. Fire near trees, shrubs and houses is dangerous, and it rarely gets all the hornets.
Allergic to stings? Keep well away from the nest and don't try anything yourself. Swelling of the face or throat, trouble breathing, or dizziness after a sting is a medical emergency — call 911.
How we remove a bald-faced hornet nest
1
Identify and plan
From your photo we confirm it's hornets (or wasps, or yellow jackets) and how high and exposed the nest is. Chatham visits are scheduled ahead; same-day is sometimes possible.
2
Treat the nest
A licensed technician in protective gear treats the nest, often from a distance with extended equipment for high nests.
3
Take it down
Once the hornets are dead, we remove nests we can safely reach and bag them, so returning workers don't cluster around it.
4
Check for others
We look around the house, garage and yard for more nests. Late in the season it's common to find a second one.
For gaps where wasps keep returning, see entry point sealing.
Hornets and wasps on Chatham properties
Chatham is a town of tree-lined streets, older homes, well-kept yards and a busy Main Street. Those features shape where we find nests:
- Big street and yard trees. Mature maples and oaks give bald-faced hornets high, leafy branches to hide nests all summer.
- Foundation plantings and hedges. Dense evergreens and boxwoods by the front door are a favorite low hornet spot, and the most likely to get someone stung.
- Older homes with porches and eaves. Paper wasps build under porch ceilings, shutters and the eaves of detached garages.
- Stone walls and old foundations. Yellow jackets nest in the gaps.
- Shops and restaurants downtown. Yellow jackets go after food and drinks at outdoor tables in late summer. We work around business hours; see commercial pest control.
Chatham borders the Passaic River and there's a lot of open, wooded land nearby, so stinging insects have plenty of natural habitat close to homes. That's normal — we only step in when a nest is where people are.
What affects the price of hornet nest removal
Quotes are free. These are the main factors:
| Factor | Simpler job | Bigger job |
|---|---|---|
| Height | Low shrub or eave you can reach from the ground | High in a tree or at a second- or third-floor eave |
| Size | Early-season nest | Late-summer nest the size of a basketball |
| Insect | Paper wasps | Bald-faced hornets or yellow jackets in a wall |
| Number | One nest | Several nests on the property |
| Access | Open yard | Over a roof, a pool, a fence or a steep slope |
Call or text 973-510-2585 with a photo and where the nest is.
Get a Free Hornet Removal Quote in Chatham
Send a photo of the nest and tell us where it is and how high. Let us know if anyone in the home is allergic.
Why Chatham calls us for hornets and wasps
- A big gray nest in a tree over the driveway
- Hornets in the hedge by the front door
- Wasps under the porch or garage eaves
- Yellow jackets in a stone wall or the lawn
- Someone in the house is allergic
Request Service
🔒 Your info stays private · Hablamos español.
Hornet & Wasp Questions from Chatham
Are bald-faced hornets dangerous?
They're very defensive around the nest and can sting repeatedly, so a nest near people is a real risk. Away from people they're mostly beneficial predators.
Can I leave a hornet nest in a tree alone?
If it's high, away from walks and play areas, often yes — the colony dies off in winter. If people pass under it, have it removed.
Will the hornets reuse the nest next year?
No. The colony dies in winter and new queens start fresh nests elsewhere in spring.
I just noticed a huge nest after the leaves fell. Is it still active?
In late fall it may still have live hornets on warm days. Watch the entrance from a distance; if there's traffic, treat it as active and call.
What's the difference between a bald-faced hornet and a yellow jacket?
Bald-faced hornets are black and white and build paper nests above ground; yellow jackets are yellow and black and usually nest in the ground or walls.
How soon can you come to Chatham?
Chatham visits are scheduled ahead of time, and same-day is sometimes possible. Call or text 973-510-2585.
Do you remove the nest after treating it?
Yes, when we can safely reach it. Nests inside walls or the ground are treated in place.
Can I spray it myself at night?
We don't recommend it. Ladders, darkness and an angry colony are a bad mix, and store sprays often don't penetrate the nest.
Do you handle wasps at businesses on Main Street?
Yes. We schedule around business hours and check entrances, rooflines and outdoor seating areas.
Are you licensed?
Yes. Silver Bullet Pest Control holds NJ License 90568B and has over 15 years of experience.
¿Hablan español?
Sí. Hablamos español. Mande una foto del nido por texto al 973-510-2585.
Hornet and wasp removal near Chatham
We also serve these towns for stinging insects:
Updated November 2026 by the Silver Bullet Pest Control team, Garfield, NJ • NJ License 90568B